Emma Pritchard

The voices of youths from across the Northern Rivers region took centre stage in Grafton last week when the Parliament of NSW brought the first of their statewide Regional Roadshows for 2025 to the Clarence Valley.
Students from more than 12 schools including Clarence Valley Anglican School (CVAS) and McAuley Catholic College took part in a Youth Forum on April 3 which offered all participants the opportunity to actively engage with one another through the democratic process of identifying and talking about topical issues within their local communities which most concern them, further developing and strengthening their public speaking skills and helping to shape them as future leaders.
Hosted by the Honourable Ben Franklin, President of the Legislative Council of NSW, who was joined by Member for Clarence Richie Williamson, Member for Tweed Geoff Provest, and Member of the Legislative Council of NSW and Member of the Greens Sue Higginson, the event also encouraged students to speak directly with politicians and share their views surrounding a variety of social issues including the ongoing cost of living crisis, the shortage of housing and affordable accommodation throughout Australia, particularly in regional communities, and climate change, with their feedback to be taken directly back to the Parliament of NSW.
As he openly encouraged organic and free-flowing conversations while emphasising the importance of partaking in robust and respectful discussions during the evening, Mr Franklin acknowledged the students for their attendance before inviting them to commence the Youth Forum with an open consultation.
“It is a real pleasure for us to be here, and we want to hear your views and your opinions on matters which are important to you and your local communities,” he said.
“We want to hear from everyone, and we want to discuss ideas and help you identify potential solutions.”
Points of interest raised by the students which generated passionate debate included the stigmatism and dysconnectivity often experienced by young people when entering into conversations with older individuals and how their respective age gaps can make it difficult for them to relate to one another and communicate more efficiently.
The subject of parliamentary behaviour regarding changing the perception of how politicians interact with one another when Parliament is sitting to create a more positive impression of their professional interactions to better influence youths and encourage them to enter politics was another popular topic which received a round of applause by everyone during the Youth Forum, with Mr Franklin and the attending MPs commending the students for discussing the matter so openly with them while agreeing wholeheartedly on its validity.
When each MP was given the opportunity to ask the students a question of their choice, Mr Williamson invited the students to share their thoughts on the effects of social media, if it has a positive and/or negative impact on their lives, and its influence on their social lives outside of school.
Many students agreed there are several pros and cons to using social media.
While some praised it for its suitability to promote events and generate further community interest in local organisations, others criticised it for its close association to cyberbullying and its negative influences on the self-esteem and confidence of youths who compare themselves to what they are exposed to online.
Despite only 50 percent of participating students in the Youth Forum expressing their support of the ban which was recently introduced prohibiting those aged 16 and under from using social media, a suggestion by one student to better educate youths to use social media beneficially was met with resounding applause.
Other topics brought to the attention of Mr Franklin and the other MPs during the Youth Forum included the need for additional financial incentive from the NSW Government to enable more students to actively participate in out of school activities, in particular sporting and representative events, and increased advocation and advertising to assist disengaged youths to feel more involved within their local communities.
Following the Youth Forum, CVAS student Caleb Foster said it was fantastic to be part of the event and to have the chance to speak with other students and share common interests and points of view with each other.
Mr Williamson said it was great to receive some “full and frank advice” from the participating students and confirmed he will ensure their voices are heard when Parliament reconvenes.
“I was really interested in their views on housing and the housing crisis, the cost-of-living crisis, and what the Government could do to help them, and I was also really interested to hear their views on climate change and what the current policies are of the State Government with regards to climate change,” he said.
“It was a wonderful opportunity for them to report directly to the Parliament of NSW.”
Other students told the Clarence Valley Independent they felt proud to represent their schools and local communities at the Youth Forum, and agreed they would like to see them held more often to enable more youths to stand up and let their voices be heard.